Helix stages Vol 0: Year Zero
by onelildustbunni
Summary: New X-men::Hellion/X-23::Julian Keller / Laura Kinney:: The prequel to Helix stages Vol 1: the first try. Based on "Childhood's End Vol 1, Vol 2, and Vol 3" from the M-day arc right up to after Nimrod. Helix Vol 1 picks up where this ends.
1. 1: Year Zero 1:10 bad day

**Title: **Helix Volume 0: Year Zero

**Pairing: **Helix (Hellion/X-23, Julian Keller/Laura Kinney, although this story is only leading _up_ to the pairing)  
**  
A/N: **Well, I had a cool idea...something I've been thinking about doing for a little while now (since Helix Volumes 1 & 2 have been pretty good). Here it is--  
Volume 0 (pre--Volume 1). Starts with M-Day, and the entire story is based on the events in New X-men: Childhood's End. Mostly Julian's PoV, will probably  
have some Laura as well. Enjoy! (yes yes I will still be working on Volume 2 ;c) I may edit some of the chapter numbers and titles later on, once more is written.

* * *

**Volume: 0 Arc: "Year Zero" Issue: 1/1)**

 **Chapter 1: bad day **

* * *

Julian Keller was having a bad day. Started out bad, stayed that way.

**…**

He'd woken up to his best friend kneeling on the floor, staring at his hands in a very creepy manner.

As per usual, Julian had pushed off his covers with his mind—any excuse to use his powers, really. He loved using them; it was almost better than sex for him, as  
the rush of endorphins released by his telekinesis were the same hormone produced from the activity. So, yes, any excuse to use his powers. He floated up in the  
air and stared down at his friend.

"Brian? What the hell's the matter with you?" he asked.

Brian looked up. "Dude…can I touch you?" he asked.

Julian started. "Awkward. I know I'm hot but—."

"You _know _what I mean, douche-bag," Brian said, his expression serious. "I don't feel…the same. I feel funny."

Julian dropped to the ground and held out his fingers, figuring it would be better if he wasn't flying when he went nuts. He steeled himself for the rush of fear and  
sweat that accompanied his friend's 'tags'. He hoped he didn't jump out the window or something.

Their fingers touched, and Julian was still standing in place.

"Dude—" he stared at his friend.

Brian ran out of the room and slammed the door.

**…  
**

_Something_ was going on, that was for sure. Julian grabbed his uniform and started to pull on his top—then changed his mind and took the pile to the shower. Five minutes—  
he didn't feel like being known as Smelly (these kids fabricated names so damn quick it was unreal).

**…  
**

When Julian emerged into the corridor, it was a chaotic scene. People were strewn all over the place, and crying. And smiling. And screaming. He didn't recognize so many  
people—when had they come to the school? Obviously some major disaster had occurred. He headed down the stairs, weaving between students as they ran up and down,  
out of control. He could barely hear himself think—there was so much noise.

He spotted Sofia and her squad standing near the base of the staircase, and hurried down. They looked confused, and nervous—and upset.

"SOF!" he yelled, then tapped her on the shoulder.

"Julian," she replied, looking around with wide eyes. "Oh my god…do you _know_ what is going on?"

"No," he said, rubbing his neck. "Looks like something really hit us, hard. But what the hell! I didn't hear _anything_ last night. Why are there so many new students?" He'd just  
spotted a pretty blond he'd never seen before over Sofia's shoulder. Normally he would have glanced, but not been too interested—but now, this was just confusing the hell  
out of him.

"That's Lobster," Alleyne said calmly. "Some of us lost our powers."

Julian froze, startled by the information. "Oh my god." He noted that Alleyne used the word _us_, and grinned. "Sucks to be you. Least the people who _count_ still have their  
powers, right Sof?"

She turned her back on him, and he paled. "Sof…"

"I will talk to you later, Julian," she said firmly.

Across the hallway, there was a very loud, hoarse scream that broke above the rest. Julian stared—his own teammate, Kevin, had just touched Laurie Collins—obviously forming an  
assumption on what he was hearing. And Laurie was screaming and holding up a very disfigured hand in response.

"Uh," Julian ran over, pushing people out of his way as people yelled at Kevin and pushed him into the corner. "Kevin! What was that?"

The boy was sniffling and covering his eyes, obviously in no state to respond. Julian touched his shoulder, feeling bad; it wasn't his fault that he'd only heard one side of the story.

Now _he_ was the villain. "Dude—"

_**SLEEP!! **_his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he toppled over.

**…  
**

Julian opened his eyes slowly, and became aware that his forehead was trying to kill him. No, that wasn't right—he reached up and touched the egg-shaped lump under his hair  
and almost laughed hysterically in pain. Oh yeah, he'd hit the floor when whatever the hell had happened, happened.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Kevin gasped, jerking his bare ankle away. It had been just centimeters away from Julian's other hand; the slightest movement—and it was his left too.  
Son of a bitch. He sat up slowly. "Kevin—man—take it easy—not your fault—"he looked up, and saw the Stepford Cuckoos.

"Hi girls," he grinned. "What the FUCK is going on?!"

"Hhhrm," the sisters said together, folding their arms. "Wwwe're waking the school up, in sections. There's been quite an event. Apparently, thirty-five people have lost their  
powers…and it's more, as we speak."

Julian suddenly remembered something terrible. "Did Sofia—"

"Tthat is none of your business," the girls said coldly. "Yes," one said, looking down. "Mmindee!" the other two said crossly. The one who had spoken alone flushed.

"He cares about her! I didn't think it was wrong."

Julian rubbed his face. "I need an icepack. And painkillers."


	2. 1: Y0 2:10 consider yourselves intro

**A/N**: Thank you for the kind reviews! Yes, this IS pretty interesting, seeing it from the start. Also alot to write about...considering the events in childhood's end!

* * *

**Volume: 0 Arc: "Year Zero" Issue: 1/1)**

 **Chapter 2: consider yourselves introduced **

* * *

Julian heard voices raised in argument, in the tv room, and arched his eyebrows. He felt like arguing right now. He had some steam to blow off—and the other kids would  
make an excellent, squishy target to help him do so, without destroying something. The Danger Room had been put off-limits until the school had sorted out its mess (after  
a newly-humanized student had almost been killed trying to 'reactivate' their powers).

"…look, can any of you honestly say that even for a moment, you didn't wish _you'd_ lost your powers too? That you didn't want to be _normal?_ Maybe there was a _reason _we  
weren't chosen." Jay Guthrie.

"If this was such a beautiful damn miracle, then where's _Jeffrey Garret? _He's dead, Jay! Hydro's dead, too. And who knows how many _more_ mutants are out dead or dying  
right now?!" Noriko Ashida.

"Okay. Everyone take a breath and _calm down._ No one knows why this happened. And right now we need to stick together, not attack each other." David Alleyne. Perfect target.

"What do you mean _'we,'_ human?" Julian sneered, leaning on the doorway and folding his arms. "I know it's hard to tell with you, but last time I checked, _'you' _just became a  
part of _'them'_."

"What the hell is your _problem_, Keller?!" Ashida shouted, gritting her teeth and trying to storm towards him.

"Nori, it's okay…" Alleyne said, grabbing her arm.

"No, it's _NOT!_" Ashida tried to tug her arm away.

"It's okay, because David knows that when we're all up against the wall, he'll be free and clear. Did he tell you about his little phone call with Harvard, yet?" He'd happened  
to be walking by the commons room when Alleyne was on the phone.

It was like gold. Ammo.

"What?" Ashida whipped around to look at Alleyne, who was making a face. "Nori, I—" he said. Julian grinned, feeling better already. "It's better this way, Ashida. He doesn't  
belong here or with you—not anymore."

"And why is that, Julian?"

_Oh, fuck _me, Julian thought, glancing over his shoulder. Of course it was Sofia. Every tiny particle of relief he'd just generated from taking his stress out on someone else  
disappeared with a tiny snap.

"Please, tell me, why is it _'better,'_ Julian? Because David is _human _now?" Sofia looked upset—understandably so—her dark eyebrows were arched. He felt even more pissed  
off—he'd only kissed her once or twice and he wanted to do it now _but that would be hardly fucking appropriate!_ Steam almost came out of his ears.

"Are humans not worthy of being _loved_ in your eyes?" Sofia's voice was soft.

"Sofia…it's not like that," Julian said, his eyes going wide in alarm.

"You used to call me 'beautiful', am I _less_ so now?" Yes, definitely upset.

"I…"

"Just _stop_, Julian. You're making fools of both of us." Sofia turned and walked away, her hair whipping behind her. _Damn, she looked coming and going. Better coming,  
though_, he thought. He dry-swallowed. Oh shit.

"Sofia, _wait!_" he shouted. Ashida grabbed his arm. "We're not _finished_ yet, Keller!" she snapped.

Julian lifted himself up. "You just picked the _worst_ time to mess with me, little girl," he said, his voice dripping irritation. Yes, the last few moments had sucked like nothing else.

"Am I _interrupting _something?" a voice broke in. Wolverine. Julian let himself drop to the ground. He was afraid of the older, tougher mutant with an unpredictable temper and  
those weird unbreakable sharp-as-hell claws.

To his right was a girl. Julian tilted his head slightly; girls always got his attention, no matter how annoyed he was. He gave her a once-over. She was like nothing he'd ever  
seen before—very green eyes, high cheekbones, full lips. Long black hair, very glossy. Pale skin. Oh, and boobs—yes, very much so. He _always_ noticed those. He hadn't really  
put them first, this time, which was odd—although—and she was wearing a choker and some kick-ass boots. Huh.

"This is _Laura_, my sister." Logan scowled at them. "She's a genetic clone created from my DNA, and…you know what? It doesn't matter." He paused. "The bottom line is,  
she has my claws, and _yes_, she could kill you if she wanted. So, don't make her want to."

Logan patted Laura on the shoulder. "Consider yourselves introduced."

He turned to go, then paused. "For the record, my money's on Nori." Then he was gone, and Laura was leaning against the edge of the wall. She met Julian's eyes for a second,  
then looked at the floor, frowning, her expression saying she didn't want to be here at all.

Ashida clapped her metal gloves together behind him, drawing his attention away.

"Let it go. He's not worth it." Alleyne patted her on the shoulder.

"Can't I kill him just a _little?_" Ashida growled.

"You wish, gloves," Julian grinned. He was suddenly a bit less irritated.

"Come on, guys, I've got a better way to blow off steam," Alleyne said.

"I'll see you later, tough guy," Ashida sneered, following him. "Looking forward to it," Julian said, clenching his fists. Cessily brushed past him.

"Where are you going, Cess?" he asked, surprised.

"Julian…I love you, but it's time for us to _grow up_," Cessily said, looking disappointed. She, too, turned her back on him, and Santo followed without comment. Julian turned back to  
the new girl, irritated all over again.

"What are _you_ looking at, clone?" he said meanly.

She kind of winced, like a twitch. Irritation. "I was curious," she said simply. He raised his eyebrows—she had a nice voice. He hadn't ever heard anything like it. Very monotone,  
like a computer. No accent he could recognize—it was its own accent. That was the only way he could think of the categorize it.

"It's rude to stare," he said, a little less forcefully.

"Oh." What's-her-name—Laura—looked away.

"So I'm Hellion." He held out his hand to her. "Julian Keller."

She watched his hand, her eyebrow raised. "I know your human name already," she said flatly.

Her hands remained in her pockets, making _him_ look like a dumbass.

"Grr! Fine! I was just trying to be friendly!" he snapped, letting his hand drop. He turned away, trying to think of somewhere he could go work off his energy.

He couldn't even go out for a fly anymore with those damn ONE sentinels…

"You seem to be angry." Laura gazed at him again. "Did I do something to displease you?"

He looked back, a bit weirded out. He'd obviously just ended the conversation. Laura was still standing there, watching him. Observing him.

"You just dissed me, a total stranger you know nothing about. I'd consider that pretty rude, yeah."

Laura drew her eyebrows together. "What did I do?"

"…" Julian stopped in his tracks and turned back to her. "You seriously don't know? You not from around here or something?" He was suddenly hopeful that her  
country had some sort of kissing-greeting or something…he wouldn't mind a little making out right now…strangers were best, no strings attached and they usually  
understood that right away. That always made him feel better too…

"…" Laura shifted. "I am from Facility base 22-A, Area 51, Nevada, the United States of America. I am project Weapon number X subunit II, clone number 23 of  
chromosome X. I have been subsequently labeled X-23." Laura continued to watch him, wide eyed. "Is that sufficient information?"

Julian rubbed his neck. "Um…I guess?"

Laura tilted her head. "My human name is Laura Kinney."

"Are you a human?" Julian blurted. Best he knew now…before he fucked up anything else. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. He knew she had claws…Wolverine  
had said that…but did you need to be a mutant to have claws like Logan's? He wasn't sure.

"No." Laura watched him. "I have an accelerated healing factor, and bone claws, coated in adamantium, like Weapon X—Wolverine. I also have enhanced senses like  
my DNA original." She paused. "Are you a mutant as well?"

"Obviously," Julian said, annoyed by her question. "I'm telekinetic. A really strong one, too. It's like the coolest power ever, you know."

"What does 'coolest' mean?" Laura asked.

Julian was starting to get irritated. She must be stupid or something. "You know what? I don't have time for this. Goodbye." He turned away and stomped towards  
the stairs, deciding he'd better find Sofia and straighten things out with her.

Laura watched him go.


	3. 1: Year Zero 3:10 girl in the background

**A/N: **Yep...even bullies have reasons though.

* * *

**Volume: 0 Arc: "" Issue: 1/1)**

 **Chapter 3: girl in the background **

* * *

Laura followed the sound of shouting voices, all she seemed to do in this place. Someone was always angry. There were a bunch of young adults—  
the people she'd seen, earlier, in the recreation room—dressed in colorful costumes. She leaned against the wall, watching. Her eyes found the loud  
one from earlier—as she'd mentally dubbed him. She wasn't sure why she liked to look at him; she'd seen plenty of developed physical specimens  
before. Maybe it was the fact that he had snapped at her earlier—people her age were usually too afraid to say anything at all to her, especially  
after hearing what she could _do_. The way Logan had introduced her had sufficiently listed her capabilities. And still.

"I'm Colossus again…they need bigger X-men." a boy with hard, rocky skin said. He was grinning down at the girl named Cessily. "If he's Colossus,  
I don't want to be Kitty!" the girl exclaimed.

"If you guys don't stop yelling at me, I'm turning this thing off!" the dark skinned boy yelled.

"Fine by me! This is creepy!" Cessily.

Laura sank to the ground and peered around the rock tentatively. She didn't want them to see her until she could figure out was going on. She learned  
a lot about people by watching.

**…  
**

"Dude! That robot is _pink!_" the rock boy—Santo—yelled. Laura had heard his name repeated several times, and noted him reacting.

"Are you kidding me?!" Julian, the loud one, shouted. He was wearing some strange purple and green outfit now.

"It's a sentinel, Santo. From the future." David—the dark skinned boy—was looking at a computer pad in his hands.

"Yeah, well, if this is what the X-men fight, I wanna be an Avenger," Santo said.

"This thing's no joke," David said. "It killed the guy you're playing."

"How can anyone fight in this thing? Thank god Miss Frost wears pants now," Cessily said. She had a corset and a pair of black underwear on.

Laura stepped further into the simulation, tentatively. She started, looking at her body; she was now wearing a puffy dress. With blood on her front.  
She inhaled; it wasn't there. She couldn't smell blood. She looked up, confused.

"The X-men never beat Nimrod," David said.

"Okay, you've got the hots for this thing. We get it. Now change the channel!" the loud boy yelled.

"I would prefer to change as well," a soft voice said, from a niqab. Laura recognized the accent—Sunni. Afghanistan. She'd performed three missions there,  
assassinating Al Qaeda groups.

"Since you're afraid of robot Barbie, maybe you'd like to fight me instead?!" Blue haired girl. "Nori, please…just let it go." The wing-boy said. She thought his  
name was Jay, but she wasn't sure.

Julian reached over and shot something at Nori—something green. "AHH!" Nori yelled. "Hey!" the gold-skinned boy said.

"Oh, wait…this Shaw guy wasn't telekinetic, was he? Whoops!" Julian grinned.

"I…I don't belong here," another dark skinned boy said. He had hair braided in tight ropes. Laura sniffed. Human.

"You can't get up, dude," Santo said. "You're supposed to be _dead._"

"This is pointless. I'm leaving." Jay turned.

"Oh, Keller…you are _so_ toast," Nori said, making a sparking fist. Laura took a few more steps in; she wasn't sure why, but she was ready to fight for the boy if  
the blue-haired girl attacked. _He is telekinetic_, she reminded herself. _Perfectly capable of self defense._

"Jay!" David yelled. "Come back! We're out-numbered!"

Laura stopped as Jay pointed at her. "_She_ can take my place. That's what you guys want, right? More violence."

"Jay…" the Sunni said. "Let him go." David. "Uh…Laura…you wanna play?" Cessily. Oh, she was addressing…her? Laura blinked.

Julian looked at her. "Okay, you can play, but you don't get to be Wolverine every time." Then he looked at her—_really_ looked at her—up and down, and leered.

Obviously.

"Down, girl." He grinned at her. Laura smelled hormones and heard his response in his heart rate, and stared right back at him. She'd only encountered this reaction  
once before—at Megan's school. The boy who had seized her wrist. She did the only thing she could think of—she popped her claws, not even thinking of where  
they would stop.

They stopped a few centimeters from his crotch. He stared down at her hand, quite alarmed.

Laura colored and turned away. Even as disassociated as she was, she was embarrassed. It was like _pointing_.

"Ouch," Santo said, having observed the interaction.

"Didn't they clone you a sense of _humor?!_" Julian blurted. Laura ignored this. She wasn't sure _why_ she was embarrassed…he was just a male…there was nothing  
embarrassing about that…right?

"Changing scenarios..." David said. "Mission 240…_Inferno._"

Laura's costume changed. Green and black. She liked it better than the dress.

"Oh, hell." Nori said.

There were creatures everywhere—Laura wasn't sure what they were, but she understood that she was supposed to fight them. So she did.

"Julian, watch it!" Cessily shouted.

"I've got—"

Laura whipped around and caught the _thing_ about to bite the loud boy's head off with a foot claw, then grabbed it around the head and broke its neck with an audible  
snap—reflex.

"HEY!" Julian yelled at her. "Back off, claws. I don't need anyone to rescue me." He'd stopped to glare at her, and another one was closing in on him, baring its fangs.

"Behind you!" Cessily yelled, exasperated.

Laura leapt over his shoulder and tackled the creature as it attacked. Slish, slish, _SLASH_ its head spun to the ground at Julian's feet. The monsters all turned on _her_, as  
everyone else seemed to have stopped fighting. Laura whipped around like a top, all claws out.

"Awwww, she's sweet on you, Keller!" Nori said, pointing at Laura.

Julian turned away. "Funny, Ashida. Are you sure you want to get into this? If you haven't noticed, it's four against two."

"Shut up, Julian!" the golden skinned boy said.

"Make me." Julian challenged.

Laura looked up, alarmed, as she did a hand-stand to stab her foot claws into two jugulars. All her limbs were occupied—and the boy was attracted _more_ opponents? He seemed  
to have more attitude than he could account for.

"Hey! Let me go!" the other boy said. Santo had grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. "Or what? You'll _heal_ me?" Santo asked, grinning. "Some X-man you are, Foley."

"Put him down!" Nori said angrily.

"I'm shutting the system off." David. He looked tired.

"Julian…can we not do this today?" Cessily. Tired as well.

Laura fell to her knees as the opponents disappeared. She pushed her hair out of her eyes. What kind of place was this? She'd understood the opponents weren't real…  
but the students. They'd been surrounded by monsters, and been more focused on fighting _each other_.

"Hey, guys…Dani's leaving," Jay was heading down the tunnel again.

Silence. Everyone stared at him. Julian was silent. Laura glanced at him, wondering if the name meant anything to him. He looked unaffected, though—apparently not.

"The weird girl's looking at us again," Santo said. Looking at her.

"Go! Shoo!" Julian said, making a hand gesture at her.

"Julian, don't be mean," Cessily said.

"Hey, Brian, can you permanently _tag_ her or something? Brian?" Santo looked around.

"Brian _left_, Julian. I believe he feels you've been ignoring him since he lost his powers." Cessily.

"Damn. Look, what can I do? From what Frost told me, they're not going to let Brian stay. I know it sucks, but he's human now." Julian looked away.

Laura turned her back, wondering where she could go. She wasn't wanted here. She _did_ feel hurt, a little…she understood pain. She was quite experienced with it.

It was the other emotions she didn't understand—happiness, laughter. Smiles.

"And what about Kevin?" Cessily was asking.

"Seriously, did you see smell-girl's wrist? He really _mangled _it," Santo said.

"That was an accident!" Cessily.

"Relax, Cess. We all know how you feel about him." Julian. "But we also know how _dangerous_ Kevin is…it wouldn't be such a big deal but Kevin almost _killed_ Laurie…so I  
need some time to figure out how to deal with him." Apparently, he was in a position of power.

Laura turned, listening. Someone was running down the tunnel.

"Julian, what are you saying?" Cessily asked.

"Don't worry…we're a team. I won't let anything happen to him." Julian.

Laura followed the running footsteps out.

**…**

Laura stood outside, her hands in her pockets. She was looking at—well, she wasn't quite sure what she was looking at. There was a group of students, and a councilor,  
and people yelling at each other.

"They fired you?!" the dark skinned boy was shouting. "Dani, were you even going to tell us?"

Laura tilted her head. The person they were yelling at looked like a Native American. She was young, about 2 or 3 years older than the rest of the students. She'd seen her  
before, and had performed a data analysis already.

"Look, I don't want it to be this way, either. This is my _home._ I don't want to leave…but if I'm going to be of any use at all, it's going to be _outside_ these walls," the woman said.

Laura decided she had lost her powers, then.

"But Dani…you're my guardian! What happens to me? What happens to the squad?" the golden-skinned boy shouted, emotional. Laura had not learned their names yet.  
No one had bothered to tell her. The only names she knew here were the teachers, such as Scott and Logan…and that one boy, Hellion. She'd been here for a day already.

"You'll be okay, Josh, Shan is still here, and Amara will be back soon. You can trust them. Look, I just…just can't be here. Not right now." The woman was crying. The long-haired  
girl ran towards her and embraced her, crying, too.

"Sofia…I'm so sorry," the woman—Dani—said.

"Me, too," the girl named Sofia said, sniffling.

Laura shifted, uncomfortable. She didn't like emotion—she strongly disliked seeing people cry. And it seemed to be all she saw lately. Her aunt…her cousins…the kids on the street…  
Kiden and Tatiana and the teacher…and people in pain…her mother…herself…and everyone here, now.

"Agent Pierce is here to pick me up, but I want you guys to remember one thing…" Dani glared at the blond that had emerged from the school. She had a sculpted body—  
obviously surgically enhanced, she could smell the silicon—and a white, skin-revealing costume. She looked irritated.

"…trust yourselves. Trust each other…because sometimes that's all you've _got_."

"Excellent advice." The blond placed her hands on Sofia's and the golden-skinned boy's shoulders. "Now, I know this is hard, children, but we need to let Danielle go."

"Goodbye," Sofia said quietly.

Laura turned, deciding she was going for a walk. She needed to calm her nerves; this was too much. Too upsetting. Why had Logan asked her here? She should just leave, at once…

"And just where do you think _you're_ going?" The blonde's voice cut through her thoughts. Laura whipped around, uncertain.

"Emma, that's enough." Scott Summers. A recognizable face, finally.

"Need I remind you of our conversation regarding Laura?" he asked.

"No." Emma said stiffly.

"Good. Now please go inside," Scott said.

Emma turned and left, obviously annoyed at being overruled.

"Hard to believe she used to be a super-villain, isn't it?" Scott grinned at Laura.

"Well, let's find you a place to sleep." Laura watched him warily. He seemed kind.

He was the first person in this place to smile at her.

**…**

"How do you like it here, Laura?" Scott asked kindly as they climbed the stairs.

Laura drew her eyebrows together. "It is…emotional," she said, with difficulty.

Scott laughed. "Hah. Good word for it. A lot of hormones floating around the hallways…and you came at a bad time, I'm sorry to say. We're happy to have you—it's just, with M-day,  
a lot of people are upset. Everything's changing. Give it a bit, Laura…I think you'll find your place here when it settles down a bit. Wait till you have a squad."

"Squad?" They had reached a hallway. Scott looked thoughtful.

"Yup. You'll have a unit you do practice with, and they'll become like your family, almost. A dysfunctional family, perhaps, but there will be unity. There are lots of spots open, too,  
since a lot of people are leaving."

Laura frowned. She didn't count that as a good thing. People leaving.

They approached a room. Scott grinned and opened it for her. "What luck, you can have your own. I mean, it's not good that Lobster lost her powers and disappeared  
—but—hey—you take what you can get, right?"

Laura sniffed. The room smelled vaguely of crustacean.

"It will do fine," Laura said.


	4. 1: Year Zero 4:10 impressive instant

**A/N: **

**Laura K. Howlett:**

_Kiden and Tatiana! And once again I see panels._

Haha! Seeing panels? Maybe you should go see ur optometrist...o.O  
_  
Quick side note (if you didn't already know...)  
Laura had previously been enrolled at Xavier's just prior to M-Day, it was during the time Claremont was writing X-men and Uncanny X-Men (making her personality  
"wrong",her origin was also still "unknown" and giving her the...Fang costume) the issues were Uncanny X-Men #450 - 451, X-Men #165, Uncanny X-Men #455 - 460,  
in that read order. Logan had put her as roommates with Kitty Pryde & Rachel Grey, Laura also became close friends with now alive Betsy Braddock during that time too.  
I'm sorry, I'm a complete geek. I own in one from or another all of X-23's Earth-616 (in continuity) appearances with the exception of 2 (her ultimate team up with spidey)  
as well as know 'em all (her history) by heart._

Haha, no worries. I am aware of her previous stay at the mansion, I have a few issues...I could've sworn I made mention of it in here before, but I didn't (I checked the  
whole thing...yes I have completed this story ;-) I guess it just never came up for Laura to mention explicitly, but it did happen. That's why she already knew Scott.  
And I agree! Claremont made her very GRRRR...like Cavegirl Buffy if you're a Joss Whedon fan. The art was cool, the costume was not cool, and I personally hate  
Chris Claremont and have a very low opinion of comics written by him (put it this way, if I ever run out of toilet paper...) lol sorry to those who like his work. I'm sure  
he's a great guy but the way he writes thought bubbles and has the characters **SAY** what they're doing all the time just irritates the freak out of me. Like  
'Hi, thanks, I _have_ been reading this comic for the past five minutes, you don't have to restate it for the millionth time, because I actually HAVE a BRAIN!'  
That also irritated me about the character Sofia aka Wind Dancer...I thought she was a sweetheart but I personally twitched every time she narrated her actions.  
I can _see_ what her wind is doing, she didn't need to clarify it.

-.- Oi will shut up now

* * *

**Volume: 0 Arc: "Year Zero" Issue: 1/1)**

 **Chapter 4: impressive instant **

* * *

"Come on, Sofia…just talk to me!" Laura heard, down the hall. She looked out the door—she'd just been about to leave, to finally go for her walk. when the  
girl, Sofia, had stormed into her room and slammed the door…followed by Julian, looking pale and upset.

"You've been avoiding me for days…._please_ come out." Julian, leaning against Sofia's door. He looked sad. Laura pressed her forehead against the doorframe,  
so only one eye peered around the edge. She had to go down that way to leave her room.

"Julian…please…just _go away!_" Sofia. Crying. Laura smelled tears. She _always_ smelled tears, here. It was irritating to her nose.

"Look, I know you're hurting, beautiful…I want to help," Julian said, his hand on the door. He turned his back to it and slid down to the ground. "Please…_let_ me help."

"Julian…have you seen Kevin?" Cessily walking by.

"I'm a little _busy_ right now, Cess." Julian looked at the floor.

"Yeah, well, Kevin's missing and I thought you might want to help me find him." Cessily.

"He's a big boy, Cess. He'll get over this."

"Nice, Julian. Way to look after your friends!" Cessily stormed off. Julian looked up. Cess, don't…hey, Cess, come back! CESS!" He hung his head and sighed.

Laura closed her door, tried to keep her eyes trained firmly on the floor, and—almost holding her breath—walked past. She had to step over his feet.

"What are _you_ looking at, Clone?!" Julian snarled.

Laura blinked. "I was not…I am going outside. For a walk."

He got to his feet. "Yeah. Fresh air sounds good." He followed her down the hallway and Laura's cheeks colored. She hoped he wasn't planning on joining her…at the  
same time, a vague little feeling twinged inside her, at the thought that he might. She was so confused.

At the mansion door, however, he grabbed his jacket and stalked off on his own. Laura sighed—in relief—and walked around the mansion in the opposite direction,  
noting the different landscapes. She spent some time wandering in a garden of roses (until her nose couldn't take the scents anymore), and she found a ladder on  
the outside of the main building.

_Hmm._

**…**

Laura's eyes finally peeped over the edge of the ladder, to graveled rooftop, made for observation. She pulled herself up and stood, smelling the clean air. It was windy,  
blowing from the north; up here, smells were very faint, which was a relief. She moved to the edge, around the chimney—and stopped, startled. Her feet moved on the gravel.

"Are you _following_ me?!" Julian asked, alerted by the noise. He was sitting on the edge, his legs dangling off the roof. She hadn't been able to smell him—or hear  
him—because of the wind.

"…" Laura didn't know what to say.

"I don't _need_ this right now. You're so creepy! Like a robot or something! God!" Julian flung a pebble off the roof violently. "Why can't it be Sofia up here? I'd be happy _then_."

Laura leaned against the chimney. "Is Sofia angry at you?" She asked.

Julian was less upset. He'd forgotten that her voice was…pleasant. She didn't use it much. Every time she did, however, he found himself a little less annoyed.

"Yeah." Julian looked at his hands. "I said something stupid to her."

Laura crouched down. "What did you say?"

Julian glanced at her now. "I…I said humans shouldn't be here. At the school. I was being mean…at the time…I'm having a really, _really_ bad week…all my friends are going and…"

Laura nodded. "You are correct. Humans would not be safe at this school."

Julian blinked. "Exactly!" He wondered why he hadn't thought of telling Sofia that was what he meant…he certainly hadn't meant it about her, what he had said about humans.

He wasn't even sure he'd meant what he'd said to David and Nori.

Laura looked down, shivering a bit. She hadn't taken her jacket; she didn't get cold too easy, and it was a warm night; it was cold on the roof, though.

"Here." Julian shrugged off his jacket and held it out to her—Laura started, uncertain. "You look cold. Take it."

"But…" Laura took it reluctantly, not sure why he was being nice all of a sudden.

"Put it on, and come sit here," he said, patting the edge.

Laura shrugged it on reluctantly and then crawled forwards, copying him and dangling her legs over the edge. "I thought you did not like me."

Julian shrugged. "I don't really know anything about you. You seem to know stuff…I like what you said. About the humans. I didn't know how to say that myself…now  
maybe Sofia will listen to me again."

"Oh," Laura said. She paused, not sure how to word what she wanted to know. She settled on her way. "Are you and Sofia involved in an in-pair copulative relationship?"

Julian blinked, looking offended. "Uh…did you just ask me if we have _sex_?"

Laura looked down at her hands. She didn't really want to know _that_ much…but she didn't know the word for the other thing. Frustration! She could feel her cheeks color slightly.

"No. I…I do not know the word."

"Oh." Julian seemed embarrassed too. "Uh…we're kinda…you know, I don't know the word either." He rubbed his neck and grinned at her. The second smile she'd received in  
her three days here. Laura felt the corners of her own lips turn up, just a little. He was…not unpleasant…when he smiled. No, not the word either. Fortunately she didn't need  
words in her brain, she understood.

"I love Sofia," Julian blurted. "Quite a bit. I want…I want to be her boyfriend…or something…a lot. But she won't let me…she doesn't like that I don't like her _friends_. Which  
I think is pretty lame. I'd do anything for her."

Laura was silent, not knowing what to say. She didn't have friends—how could she comment one way or another? And there was her answer—he loved the other girl.  
She didn't know what that meant to her. But she should stop admiring his physique—yes, that's exactly what she _had_ been doing. She colored more in embarrassment  
at the realization.

"You ever been in love, Laura?" he asked. The question startled her into the truth. "Yes. My mother."

Julian laughed. "Oh, god…I can't believe you just said that!"

Laura frowned. "I loved my mother," she said, her voice soft. Julian stopped. "I'm sorry," he said, suddenly realizing that perhaps it wasn't something to find funny.

"Is she dead?"

"Yes," Laura said, looking down again.

"Oh—I'm sorry. Do you—how did she—"

"I do not wish to discuss this," Laura said firmly, her eyes wide. Julian closed his mouth. It just wasn't his week for smooth social interactions—something completely new  
for him. He was used to being 'the man'.

"I'm sorry," he said again, hoping she wouldn't storm off too. She was actually interesting; he wanted to know more about her.

"Why are you apologizing?" Laura asked, genuinely curious.

He blinked. "Uh—I thought I made you angry."

"No, you did not," Laura said. "You did not hurt anyone I cared for. It is not your fault that she is dead."

"I don't have to be happy about it," he pointed out. "I was saying I'm sorry that you lost her. That make more sense?"

"Yes," Laura said. Then…"Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said. Then…"You're kind of pretty."

"…" Laura opened her mouth, not sure how to answer.

They watched each other for a while, then suddenly—she was unprepared—Julian leaned forwards, kissed her on the lips, and dropped off the roof, out of sight. She leaned  
over the edge and saw that he was lowering himself to the ground. He'd forgotten his jacket. She touched her lips with two fingers. He tasted like…fennel. She was completely  
confused by the interaction…he'd just told her that he was devoted to Sofia (as Laura understood love to mean) and that he would do anything for her…and then…this.

She sat for a while longer on the roof, trying to figure out and understand how the minds of the people at this school worked.


	5. 1: Year Zero 5:10 nightmare

**A/N: **Well, anyway, a bit of Laura/Julian got past me. Sorry, couldn't help it. I tried to keep it minimal...I think it's reasonable, considering where they were for the beginning of Vol 1.  
Also given the fact that they are teenagers...sigh lol. After that panel were Josh made out with that girl randomly...on request...I can have my favorite pairing do just about **anything  
**without it being unreasonable. In other news...oh wow, I started **another** fic. I'll put the first chap up soon...day or two. It's AU...it's...it's unique, trust me. Helix of course. Should be  
good though...X-D

* * *

**Volume: 0 Arc: "Year Zero" Issue: 1/1)**

 **Chapter 5: nightmare **

* * *

Laura lay in her bed, stiff as a board. She was having an odd dream—the moment on the roof from a few nights ago, just extended.  
Other things were happening. The kind of stuff she'd done when she'd worked for that horrid man, Zebra Daddy. He'd smelled terrible.  
The clients had smelled. The dream was good, though—what she'd felt on the roof fit in with this behavior. She was understanding  
things a bit better now. She'd never felt…this…towards anyone, but Megan _had_ mentioned it to her before. It was called attraction,  
apparently.

"Laura…" a voice called. Her eyes snapped open. Her mother's voice. "Laura..."

She sat up. "Why?" Dr. Kinney asked.

Laura leapt out of bed and padded to the door. She yanked the knob open and looked out.

"It hurts so much…" her mother said.

Laura gasped. A thing—her mother—was lumbering towards her. Her clothes were torn and covered in blood, she was bleeding everywhere.

She was in pain…terrible pain…her claws…so much blood…

A tear leaked out of Laura's eye. "M-mother?" she stammered.

"Why did you kill me?" her mother asked, tilting her head. She sounded confused, and hurt, and lost…like Laura.

Laura fell to her knees and made a gasping sound. She couldn't stop when she thought about—it—it was too fresh. "I—I—" she clawed  
at her face with her fingers.

"Mother—I do not understand! I—"

"I loved you, but you killed me. Why, X-23?"

Laura sniffed the air, her eyes wide. The gasping stopped.

"My mother gave me a _name_," Laura said angrily. "She would not call me X-23." Never that name. That horrible, horrible name the facility  
had given her—she whirled around. There was that woman—Emma.

"Well, she can't call you anything _now,_ can she?" the woman said.

"Why are you doing this?" Laura asked, the tears still streaming down her face.

"You know _exactly_ why I'm doing this…" Emma took a breath and folded her arms. "Because you're a weapon. A cold-blooded killing machine  
who knows nothing but death and murder. You're a threat to every life within this school, but that's all about to change…" she turned away.  
"Because one way or another, you're leaving. I will not allow you to stay and harm my children."

She was gone. Laura fell to the floor and pulled her hair. _Stop. _She wasn't as upset by the hurtful words…but seeing her mother…she'd looked  
so real…Emma had pulled her right out of her memories…she started making raw noises. Like she was ripping paper inside her lungs.

A door opened down the hall and a head peered out. "Hey, can you knock it off?! Some people are trying to _sleep_ here. Kay, thanks." Julian,  
looking ruffled from sleep. No one else had opened their doors, although Laura was sure a few had been woken by the noise. They were all  
afraid of her.

"I…m-mother…" she put her hand over her mouth and stared at him, still making noises. It sounded like she was choking.

He opened his door wider and stepped out, frowning. "You okay?"

Laura heaved into her palm, just managing to hold it back. He crouched beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Shh." He brushed her  
hair out of her face. "Look…go back to bed. Don't think about whatever it is that's making you upset, okay? Everything's scarier in the dark."  
He smiled at her, a bit. He had some things that came up at night, too. Nothing as traumatic as to have sitting in the hallway at three AM,  
pulling his hair out and throwing up in his hand but…

"Do you want help?" he asked. Laura nodded; he pulled her to her feet. "Which one's yours?" He was surprised that he was helping her; he usually  
just left people alone to their own misery. She really needed some help, though.

Laura pointed at a door. He took her hand and led her in, relieved that she seemed to be living alone. "Do you want…um…a glass of water?" he asked.

Sitting on the bed, she nodded.

He went into her bathroom, took one of the still-wrapped cups from the little tray, and filled it with cold water. He paused to glance at himself in  
the mirror, in the dim light—he looked like hell. His hair was standing up in every direction, and there were bags under his eyes. He couldn't sleep,  
either…bad scenes from his childhood kept coming up, his sister…and Sofia. It was driving him nuts.

"Here you go." He brought the glass back to Laura. "Argh! That's cold." He spilled some on his stomach. Laura looked up at him with bloodshot  
green eyes. She'd _really_ been upset…he hadn't seen anything that extreme since…yeah, he didn't like to think about that. He passed her the glass.

She sipped it tentatively. "Thank you," she said after a moment. Her respiration was a bit more normal, although every few seconds her breath caught.

"No problem. Uh…" Julian felt awkward. He'd somewhat avoided her, since the roof…he wasn't exactly sure what _he'd_ been thinking, and now, well,  
this was awkward. He could almost see through her tank top, and she was only wearing underwear. Nice legs. He craned his neck to see her calves.  
No, Sofia…he looked at her face again.

"Lie down," he told her, pulling her sheets away with his mind. She complied, watching him warily; he then tucked them around her, up to her  
shoulders, somehow thinking if he hid the nice parts, then he wouldn't be distracted. Laura looked down. "Thank you," she said again. He sat  
on the edge of her bed and studied her face. "You going to be okay? I thought someone was killing a cat with a rake in the hallway."

That slight smile again, like she was amused, but didn't know how to show it—and didn't want to. It was interesting. Lots of things about  
her were interesting.

"I think I am fine, now. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Julian stood up and moved to the door; he gripped the doorframe for a moment, then turned around and went back to her bed.

"What are you—" he leaned over and kissed her again, much slower than before, and more carefully. It just felt right, at that moment; the room  
was dark, and didn't seem to be accusing him. He slid a hand over her body, feeling what he'd seen earlier—then he pulled away. "Goodnight, Laura,"  
he said, backing up. He hit the doorframe with his back, grinned and slipped out, closing the door behind him.

Laura stared up at the ceiling with a confused frown, her lips burning.

A few rooms down the hall in either direction, two doors closed softly. One was Julian's; he was rubbing his neck with a flushed expression. The  
other was Sofia's. She'd stepped out into the hall to listen, when she heard Julian's voice slipping away into Laura's room; she'd been fairly close,  
and when she'd heard a slightly wet _smack_, she'd fled back to her own room, her suspicions confirmed.

_Good_, she thought.

**…**

**__****All students are to report to the danger room in ten minutes.**

Julian looked up from the book he'd been reading. Frost sounded very serious.

**__****This is a training exercise. Come in uniform.**

**__********…**

Laura emerged from her room, hearing a commotion. Many other students were making their way down the hall. Cessily, Santo…the  
Sunni girl…Julian. All in uniform. She had stopped in the doorway.

"Laura!" Julian stopped when he saw her. "Uh, do you have my jacket? I just remembered…"

She nodded and retrieved it from her dresser. "Here."

"Thanks." He shrugged it on.

"What is going on?" Laura leaned on the footboard of her bed.

"Didn't you hear? Training exercise. Come on!" he said, taking her hand. She followed, reluctantly; he held it for a moment, then let her go.

"Eww! It's that girl," Santo said.

"Yeah, she just keeps following me," Julian said. "Creepy." Laura was confused; even more so when he looked back and did something that  
looked like a facial twitch at her—closing just one eye briefly. She raised her eyebrows.

**__********…**

"Today everything changes. No more squads. No more field days." Emma was addressing the entire mutant student populace, crowded  
in front of the danger room.

"What?" one of three identical blond-haired girls said. "You can't be serious." The middle one. "We won't do it." The third.

"You came here to learn to use your powers and find your place in the world. Now we will see what you've learned and where your place is.  
There are two possibilities—on the battlefield or on the sidelines. You will decide which. The exercise is simple. Every man for himself. Last  
students standing will train to be X-men…the rest do not. Wallflower. Blindfold. Nezno. Ernst. You are excused."

"What? Because of my arm? I can still—"

"Leave now." Emma said firmly.

"Wait, Miss Frost…what about Kevin? Did you find him, yet?" Cessily.

"Jay Guthrie is missing as well," the Sunni girl said.

"I could have sworn I just saw Jay…" the gold skinned boy. Elixir.

"Right now, I suggest you focus on the students around you." Emma said.

"This is stupid. I don't belong here. Santo was right…my powers are useless in a fight," Elixir said. A blond that Laura had seen only once before  
grabbed his arm. "You can do this, Josh. You've worked really hard to be here. Don't give up now." She smiled at him. "I have faith in you."

"…" The boy smiled. "Thanks, Laurie."

"I swear, if you touch me with that tongue, Victor, I will crumble it," a girl said to a lizard. No, it was a boy. A boy-shaped lizard. Or a boy who  
looked like a lizard. Laura blinked. "We'll see about that," the boy, Victor, answered.

"Uh, does Mister Summers know about this?" a wolf boy asked.

"This is like the best day of my life," Santo said, knocking his fist with another odd rock-shaped bucket-headed mutant. "I hear that."

"Wait…can I leave my body outside?" one girl asked. "I knew I should have brought my helmet." A girl with big fluttery butterfly wings and black  
eyes, with large pink spots on her cheeks.

"This feels wrong." The Sunni. "You'll be fine. Just think of it as another training exercise, Sooraya." Cessily. "What are you two worried about?  
You're Frost's students." Unknown. Asian girl, probably Japanese. "Yeah, Hisako….and that means we actually learned something." Cessily said,  
looking worried herself.

Julian glanced at Laura, and frowned. She was looking at Frost—and looking scared. Granted, Frost wasn't the nicest person ever…but what did  
she have to be afraid of? A blue sparkle caught his eye, and he looked at Surge—and grinned, forgetting about Laura for a moment. Yeah, he was  
going to enjoy this.

**__****__****Hellion.**

He looked up, startled. Frost was gazing down at him through the clear-bottomed ceiling of the observation room, her hands on her hips.

**__****__****Whatever it takes, I want X-23 taken out first. **

Julian looked at Laura and swallowed. He remembered her knocking the creatures out of the way to save him in that simulation. And he remembered  
the roof, when she'd told him something that he'd said later to Sofia. She'd spoken to him again—had actually smiled at him when she'd bid him goodnight,  
albeit sadly. And last night…his lips still burned when he looked at her. And his fingertips. Oi.

**__****__****Is that a ****problem**_**, Mr. Keller? **_

"No…" he looked down.

**__****__****What was that?**

He looked up. "No. It's not a problem."

**__****__****Good. **"Begin." Frost's voice echoed across the danger room.

_WHAM!_ Julian was barely ready for Santo's punch. He glared at his friend.

"Not me, you idiot! Them! The Hellions are staying together!"

"Oh…right. My bad." Santo grinned down at him.

**__********…**

It was chaos. Julian choked on sand and rock chips from his various teammates, then spotted Laura, chopping away at somebody's metal helmet with  
her claws. He landed, and pushed someone out of his way; he had to get Laura down. His spot depended on it. Ashida sideswiped him with a bolt of  
electricity.

"Ashida…I don't have time for this." He glared at her.

"Too bad. You're going down, Keller!" She shouted.

"Fine. You want to go? LET'S GO!" Julian dive-bombed her and ignored her electricity, protected by his own field; he pinned her to the ground and saw  
Cessily nearby. "Cess! CESS! I need help! I have to take care of something!"

Cessily slurped over in a cascade of metal, and he took off again. Laura had moved on, like a traipses artist; she was so flexible…he made a noise as  
someone sucker-punched him. He kicked them right back and shot towards her, grinning. _Just pretend she's Ashida or something_, he thought.

"Clone this!" Santo yelled, bringing his fists down at her. Laura popped a foot claw…and cut his arm off. Santo blinked. "Hey. That's not cool."

"Urk," Laura said, freezing in place. She looked scared.

Emma was grinning at her.

Ashida was back for more. He pushed her away. "Get off!" he shouted, rising into the air and getting ready. What the hell was he supposed to do?

**__****__****Dislocate something**, Frost said**__****. __****She heals. **

_Break her neck_, more subtly. Like a thought of his own…except not.

"I…" Julian stopped, confused. Laura watched him with wide eyes. He couldn't…he didn't think about doing stuff like that when he looked at her.

"Oh, crap," he said, jerking around. A big, rocky mutant with a bucket head—Onyxx—was running towards them at full speed. He looked mad. On pure  
instinct, Julian shot upwards—with Laura in tow—and the boy crashed into the metal wall. He rubbed his neck…Frost wouldn't be pleased.

"No one saves me! Got it?" he asked Laura.

"Okay." Laura stared at him. Something had just happened…neither was quite sure what.

"Now we're even." Julian tried to grin at her, but his eyes turned to Frost, in the control room above them. He swallowed again.

**__****__****ENOUGH, **Emma said, into everyone's minds.

"Did I win?" Onyxx asked, holding his head. He'd smacked it into the wall.

"Mercury. Dust. Hellion. Elixir. Rockslide. Surge. You six will move on to train as New X-men. The rest of you I will address later."

"She picked four Hellions…that's a shocker," Hisako said quietly.

"Don't you mean seven, Emma?" Scott had stepped in, also in uniform. The three identical blonds were behind him. "You forgot to include Laura."

He looked upset. "And We'll discuss this little 'exercise' later."

Emma glanced at Laura. Julian felt her breath hitch against his arm, and let her go, not aware that he'd still been holding her.

"There will be an assembly in the auditorium in fifteen minutes for all mutant students." Emma turned her back. "Oh, and by the way, Mr. Keller…Surge  
will be the new team leader."

"WHAT?" both mentioned exclaimed.

"Oh, this is going to suck," Elixir said.

Laura shifted uncomfortably. She knew that this was because he had chosen not to eliminate her. Julian glanced at her again, his expression hard;  
he left the room, holding up his hand.


	6. 1: Year Zero 6:10 spark

**A/N: NEW STORY- **Cowpie, Helix AU. On Author's page.

* * *

**Volume: 0 Arc: "Year Zero" Issue: 1/1)**

 **Chapter 6: spark **

* * *

Forty five minutes later. A bus outside, a bit aways from the school.

All the human students were getting on. The mutants were watching them. Laura shifted, rubbing her elbows. She was still uncomfortable, and  
there was so much sadness…so many goodbyes…people were hugging each other and crying and parting. It made Laura think of Megan and Debbie.  
She missed them. She hugged her elbows.

"Later, Brian." Julian was waving at a window, looking depressed, Cessily beside him. "Later," the boy responded, holding up his hand in return.

"This sucks," Elixir said.

_Paf!_

Laura's head snapped to attention—a missile. It was at the bus before she could open her mouth. "AMBUSH!" she shouted, pointing. Too late. It exploded  
and there were body parts and metal in her face. She was slammed backwards, into the cement, choking on fumes.

The next few minutes were a blur of activity. Laura only remembered someone calling her pretty with his last breath…and Julian yelling for his friends…and  
the bus exploding again… in his face. She'd shoved him out of the way—too late. She could smell his flesh burning. After the boy had died, she knelt by  
Julian on the ground and examined his injury. Third degree burns—his eyelid was closing. She spread touched her fingers to the melting flesh and pried it  
apart; he hissed in pain, tears leaking out his eyes.

"ELIXIR!" she'd shouted.

**…**

And now she was at a funeral, in the background, watching Julian again because she didn't know anyone else and she didn't _know_ anyone being buried.  
His back was very stiff; his eye was patched up so she couldn't see his expression. She didn't really pay attention to the funeral. It was too sad. But  
afterwards, she stomped after Logan and caught his arm.

"Is _this_ what you asked me to come here for?" she asked, her expression strained. "So I could see more death? Logan—I have seen enough _death_ to  
last me as long as I will live."

Logan looked grim. "No, half-pint…I called you here so you _could_ live. If you have nothing to lose, then you have nothing at all, do you?"

Laura stopped. Logan continued to walk towards the mansion.

"I do not understand. Why should I live, to be miserable?"

No one answered her.

**…**

Now she was standing in a room full of grieving people, seated on sofas, and chairs…she was lost, and alone in a crowd. Julian's arms were folded, and  
he was looking away, trying not to cry. She smelled salt.

A few minutes ago, she'd looked up from the garden to see Sofia's window explode in a shower of glass and green. She'd also seen _him_ slide down against  
the wall, holding his face in his hands…she'd looked away. She hadn't known what to do…she'd stayed in the garden, frightened. Uncertainty scared her.

"I know what you're going through," Emma said entering the room. Laura stiffened. "I know you want nothing more than for it to go away. To wake up from  
this nightmare." She shifted. "But this is our lives now. And even in our darkest hour, the X-men must find a way to push on."

Laura backed up against the wall. Not here.

"So I need you to pick yourselves up and meet me in the danger room in ten minutes. We have to train…for I fear this has just begun."

**…**

"Julian." Laura stopped in the hallway, seeing with his hand on the door handle. The practice had been hard, and he and several other team members  
had been humiliated. "Are you…"

He glared at her. "What? Out with it, clone."

"…" Laura looked down. "I...I am sorry," she said. It seemed to be the thing to say. She _was_ sorry…it looked like he and the other students were truly  
having a difficult time. There was so much loss. She understood that much. Death of people you cared for…that was universal. She'd seen it, over and  
over again, but it didn't make it easier.

"Thanks," he said, looking at the floor. "Sofia…"

"I did not see that she died," Laura said.

Julian looked up. "Uh…she…I guess she didn't. But she left."

Laura frowned. She found she understood the situation. "Julian…you do not need to be with someone to love them, or to care about them. They will feel  
that love no matter where they are." She was speaking of Debbie and Megan. "If you truly love them, that will never stop."

"I guess." He closed his door, wiping his nose. "You didn't see me cry."

"No," Laura said. The truth was, she'd looked away when he did.

"Good," he said weakly. He stood, facing the door; Laura moved forwards and put a tentative hand on his shoulder, not sure how to help him. "Julian…"

He turned and hugged her for a while, and she smelled salt against her hair. "I don't like what's happening! Why is it so hard? I—" Laura put her finger  
against his lips, then pushed him into his room and closed the door. "Lie down," she said.

"Laura—I—"

She raised her eyebrow at him. He flopped down on the bed, and she laid down beside him, then rested her head on his chest.

"Sleep. You told me…everything is scarier in the dark." She pulled the covers up.

**...**

They woke up to more chaos. Or Laura did. She started, sat bolt upright; Julian opened his eyes at her motion. "Laura? What's…" his eyes widened, hearing a crash.

_**Attention all students…you are to remain in your rooms until I say otherwise. Failure to obey will result in my eternal ire. **_

Laura shook her head like an irritated kitten, and leaped out of the bed for the door. "Hey! Wait for me!" Julian scrambled to get up, glad he was still wearing his combat stuff.

**…**

They bolted down the hall, eyes wide at the puddles of blood smearing here and there on the walls, the crooked paintings, the broken plant vases.

They turned the corner, and saw a woman crouched on Emma Frost.

"Arrogant mind-witch," the woman grinned. "Your telepathy is useless against us. Our father has prepared us for _all_ of your demon abilities!" _SHUNK! _An  
enormous knife sliced into Emma's shoulder. "This is a vibranium blade," the woman said.

"You…will pay for that…you miserable cow," Emma said, in diamond form.

"Father, I have the teacher," the woman said, into a headset.

"Well done, Mary. Bring me her head."

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Julian yelled, bolting forward and sweeping the woman off Emma with his mind. Laura stayed back, her eyes wide; Surge had joined  
him, and was running loops around the men that had just entered the room. "Kill them!" one shouted, waving his gun in the air.

"AHHH!" Nori arched, shot in the back. The woman Julian had swept off Frost aimed her gun at him. "Die!" she shouted.

He was smiling. He had his shield up, nothing could go wrong. Laura saw it _could_ go wrong. She shout out and hit Mary in the second her finger hit the trigger—  
the motion was completed before she could stop it, but her sudden attack changed its trajectory.

"What the hell—how—" it whizzed right through his shield and struck him in the shoulder. "AHHH!" Julian grabbed the wound, wincing in pain; Laura's claws came  
out—into Mary's head. Several times. She sat up; the scent of blood was driving her a little crazy.

"Surge! Surge! Pull it together!" Julian called to Nori from the corner, seeing more men entering the room. The girl was limping, trying to claw her way up the wall.

"Shut up…Julian…I…oh crap!"

"Now you die, demon," a man said, pointing his gun at Surge's head. There were about fifteen other men behind him. _Snikt_, the other four of Laura's claws came  
out simultaneously, and she was in motion. Perfected timing. Arcs of blood flew through the air; she did a scissor kick and four body parts flew off at once.

When she landed, breathing heavily, everyone was staring at her, frightened.

Including Julian.

She withdrew her claws without a word; then thought better of it, moved to one of the men and, kneeling on his back, popped her index claw and ripped off his  
hood. She stabbed the claw into a device on the back of his neck.

"Wait, I…I can read his mind now," Emma said, amongst the disgusted cries of the students around her. "It's been _Stryker_ this whole time."

"They all have these," Laura said. "It smells like death."

"Stryker was responsible for Jay's wings…for the bus attack…for Laurie." Laura had only heard about Jay's wings, and did not know that something had happened  
to Laurie, having been upstairs with Julian. "There's something else overshadowing everything…no…NO!" Emma frowned. "He's dead, damn it! There was something  
else…some kind of 'device'."

Emma stiffened. "No." She stumbled to her feet and started down the hallway. _**CHILDREN! Follow me.**_ Laura shook her head again, disliking the feel of Emma's  
telepathy in her mind. It triggered almost instinctive fear.

Nothing could hurt her—her body was indestructible—but Emma Frost _could_ hurt her. She could make her go crazy. Laura feared.

…

"Now to fulfill my destiny." A gray-haired man was holding up a shining pink arm with a triumphant smile. On the ground, smoking, was the student that had nearly  
defeated both Laura and Julian in the Danger Room.

"You will do nothing, William. Your destiny ends now." Emma's voice was cold.

"I don't understand….God showed me your death…I made it happen…you abomination. I _killed _you!"

"Be silent!" Sooraya shouted. "No God would condone such horror! Such hatred! _You _are the abomination!"

Stryker thrust his hand—his pink hand—into the air. "No. I am being tested. I will not fail you, lord." The hand began to glow, drawing in energy.

"Watch it, he's going to—"

Stryker grinned. "I am your serv—"

"YOU KILLED LAURIE!" Elixir had popped out of nowhere, and wrapped his golden fingers around Stryker's face. Laura watched in fascination as the man's skin flared  
up in purulent boils, tinged green.

Elixir kept going. "You killed them all! DIE, YOU BASTARD! DIE! DIE!"

Laura stepped back, uncertain. Julian looked aghast, as did the others. Stryker finally fell to the ground with a thud, unrecognizable. Elixir…had turned black.

And then he threw back his head and screamed. Laura was strongly reminded of a wolf howling after a kill. She'd had to spend plenty of time with wolves…in  
the training simulations at the Facility.

**…**

Laura stood in the back of the room, as far away from the group as possible. They were crowding around a glass door, looking into a quiet medical room where Elixir lay,  
his eyes wide open. He'd gone into catatonic shock. The students were watching him like he was an animal.

Laura pitied him. She knew exactly what that was like. Since the hallway, no one had wanted to come near _her_, either. Not that they'd been eager before…but now even  
Julian wouldn't look at her. She wasn't sure what had changed.

"He's not talking. Not responding to anyone. He's been like that for six hours now. And of course, his skin." David.

"I didn't think Foley could do that…what he did." Julian.

"It was always possible…but I don't think Josh was ever supposed to use his powers like that." David, again.

"At least he killed that psycho fuck!" Santo said.

"Why do you guys think Stryker believed he could just walk in here like that? He seemed so positive that he could—" David.

"Because he was _insane_, David," Nori sounded annoyed.

"I'm not so sure, Nori…" the boy adjusted his glasses.

Laura sat down in the corner and hugged her knees to her chin, like she used to in her cell. It was comforting. Again she wondered _why_ Logan had brought her, here.  
For this. To be attacked _more_. Unlike the other students, she could leave. She didn't rely on the mansion for protection. She should go…she could go upstairs, right now,  
and get her things…

"Hey." Julian was looking down at her, his hands in his pockets. "You okay?"

Laura looked over his shoulder, at the clock. An hour since she'd checked, just before she'd zoned out with thoughts of leaving. "Yes."

"Okay." He rubbed his neck. "Laura…where the hell did you learn to move like that? You were—"

"Like a weapon?" Laura asked. She met his eyes; he shifted. He was uncomfortable. Laura inhaled—fear hormones. Adrenaline. He feared her, now…

"I—"

"I do not wish to discuss this," Laura said firmly. It was better—it was better this way. The hallway had reminded her that she would always be in danger—and  
therefore, anyone around her as well. She couldn't afford to lose more people. Having people to lose made her feel vulnerable and weak and helpless, something  
she did not like.

"Laura—"

She got up and left, her boots making loud noises on the metal floor.


	7. 1: Year Zero 7:10 how Santo got a PS3

**A/N: **And here, we finally find out how Santo got his PS3. It's a very nice gaming unit. Oh yeah and there's an interesting story to it XcD  
You may have noticed, last chapter and this chapter, that I avoided the part where Laura dressed as Sooraya and sprung the trap that  
Jay had unwittingly set for her. I did this because it didn't fit too well with my story, it allowed me to have Laura doing other things with  
the time, and also, it seemed kind of rushed to me in the comics, there was very little shown and it seemed doubtful to me that Laura  
could rush back to the mansion in time for the attack, because her powers do _not_ include super-speed.

AHA! Here's the chapter that mentioned Rachel Summers. I _knew_ there was one in here. I was sure to include it because of Vol 1's baby  
_is_ Rachel Summers, to be clear-- Laura is Rachel's mother.

* * *

**Volume: 0 Arc: "Year Zero" Issue: 1/1)**

 **Chapter 7: how santo got a PS3 **

* * *

"She's totally into me. You could tell, right? You know you're jealous," Santo said to Cessily, who held up her hand. "Please just shut up."

Laura watched from across the room., separate from the other students, her eyes trained on the figure of Carol Danvers hugging Cyclops. They were trading pleasantries.  
The woman trailed off. "We should talk in private."

"What was that about?" Julian asked.

"She was with him. She smells of _Icarus_," Laura said. She'd recognized Jay Guthrie's scent the moment the woman had entered the room, and her hackles had gone up.

"What?" Sooraya said, alarmed.

"Cess? You'd better get David and Nori," Julian said, rubbing his neck. "Meet us in front of Summers' office. We're going to get a little information, courtesy of Miss Creep  
here." Cessily nodded and left the room without question. Laura followed him, Sooraya and Santo up the stairs.

**…**

"Local police called in the Avengers…she and Iron Man responded." Laura summarized, her legs crossed in a yoga pose. She stared into space, listening.

"They entered the church…there was strange technology…bodies…she's wearing _a lot_ of perfume." Laura wrinkled her nose. She hated perfume.

"Are you serious?" Julian asked, irritated.

"What's going on here?" Nori asked, rounding the corner with David and Cessily.

"We're eavesdropping. Summers is meeting with the hottest Avenger ever," Santo grinned. "They went to Stryker's church. Keep going, X, without the  
commentary, please." Julian said.

Laura closed her eyes. "Something had left an energy trail, but it disappeared to the southwest. When they looked at the third body…when they…" Laura's  
eyes widened, then closed again. "Jay Guthrie is dead."

"What?!" Cessily said.

"Oh, no." Nori.

"Uun…ahuh…" Sooraya. Smelling salty.

"He was shot in the—" Laura continued. "Stop. That's enough, Laura!" Julian snapped, waving his hand at her and glaring.

"Dude…dude, I'm sorry," Santo said, touching David's shoulder as he fell to his knees, holding his head. Apparently Jay Guthrie had been well-liked.

Again, Laura would not know.

"Children." Emma Frost.

"Miss Frost…" Cessily.

"Return to your rooms. I'll come talk to you momentarily." Emma put her hand on the headmaster's door. "After I have a word with our guest." She let the door snap shut behind her.

Julian shot a dirty look at her. "God, Laura! You're so _insensitive_ sometimes." He turned his back on her and stomped down the hallway after the others. Laura  
felt her eyes sting slightly, and leaned her head back against the wall.

She didn't know how else to be.

**…  
**

'"'Nimr'? What does that even mean?" Cessily asked. They were in someone's room now—Nori's, by the smell of it. Everyone was trying to wrap their brains around recent events.  
Sooraya had a note—given to her by Jay Guthrie, before he'd gone, wherever he was going to go. To his final destination, Laura guessed.

"Sooraya said that Jay thought he'd made a terrible mistake. If Stryker somehow tricked him, or brainwashed him, or something…"

"There's something else. Something we're missing. Laura, you said something had left an energy trail?"

"Yes. It dragged itself across the floor inside, but flew outside. It headed southwest, then disappeared." Laura glanced involuntarily at Julian's back and forgot the rest of what  
she was going to say.

"I bet that chick from _Medium_ could figure this out," Santo said, grinning. His eyes had followed Laura's and figured out her target.

"Shut up, Santo," Julian said.

"What? We need someone like her or that old chick from _Murder she wrote_. I mean, what the hell is a Nimmer?"

David suddenly opened his mouth, looking startled.

"_Nimrod._" He bolted out of the room, and one by one the students picked up and followed him. Laura was the last; she sat on the bed, looking at her hands. She didn't want to  
do this anymore—again, she thought of her still-packed duffle bag, under her bed, two hallways away.

"Laura. You coming?" Again, Julian's voice, taking her thoughts away.

"Go with them. I will—"

"You can't leave!" he said suddenly. Laura stared at him.

"How—"

"I just have a feeling," he said, leaning on the doorframe. "Laura…I saw what you did in the hallway…yeah, it's terrifying…we need you now, though. We need your _scary_.  
If it's Nimrod…we need all the scary we can get."

Laura stood up. "Okay." She still sounded uncertain. She moved towards the doorway, watching him intently. Waiting for him to flinch, like the others did.

"Good girl." He reached out and touched her cheek, then leaned closer. Laura held her breath and closed her eyes, uncertain, but unable to pull away.

"AHAH! I knew it!" Santo, grinning, suddenly appeared behind Julian (who started, along with Laura). "Oh man, I _so_ knew it! I bet Cessily 10 bucks that you were creepin'  
_her _right back! I'd better go collect."

"—!—" Julian grabbed Santo by his uniform. "Don't you _dare_!" he hissed. "Or I'll tell _Cessily _a little secret. Know what I mean?"

"You wouldn't," Santo gasped.

"I would too," Julian said, narrowing his eyes. They stared each other down, then Santo held out his hand. "Fine, Mr. Billionaire…pay me off."

"What?! You're my friend. And I was disowned, you know this."

"I like your Guitar Hero set," Santo grinned. "On your PS3. You can come play it anytime. I won't even delete your username."

Julian made a face. He looked at Laura, then back at Santo. "If you touch one hair on my avatar's head, I will fuckin' kill you, bitch."

"Agreed." Santo grinned. "We'll commence the trade when we get back from killing this Nimmer-thing. I will fight so much harder, knowing I have Guitar Hero to  
come back to. Goddamn! I can't believe you're trading that thing for a girl."

"We're not _trading_ anything, Santo," Julian said through gritted teeth. "You blackmailed me, you little tattle-tale."

"Dude, I am so naming my first rock band the fuxx0rz!"

"Shut up, Santo," Julian said, giving him a push. But he did grin in spite of himself. Santo had always wanted his game, but had never said anything before this—and  
he'd felt bad for being more privileged.

Laura hung her head as she followed the boys out of the room. She'd just cost Julian a price—goods to keep Santo quiet that he had been about to do that strange  
mouth-to-mouth thing again. She knew the word. _Kiss_. It seemed inadequate. A kiss was something she'd experienced it hundreds of times before, while working for  
Zebra Daddy. It certainly didn't describe the singular sensation that she'd experienced. But no, no. She couldn't think about it; she couldn't allow it to happen again.

Kimura was still out there…

And what if Julian died too?

She never thought that it would be her.

**…**

"I don't know how, but Stryker somehow got hold of it. He knew everything about us, he knew where we would be, when you wouldn't be here…_that's _where Stryker's  
gauntlet came from. That's what Jay was trying to tell us, it matches everything Ms. Marvel saw at the church. Nimrod is back."

"You're killing my buzz, kid," Logan growled.

"Did Dr. McCoy ever get the examine the gauntlet?" David persisted.

"No. But Nimrod...it was sent through the siege perilous after it merged with…it's a long story, but Nimrod, Bastion, Master Mold…whatever you want to call it…it was  
destroyed." Scott gave David a reassuring grin.

"But couldn't this be another Nimrod? Or a Nimrod from a different point in the timeline? His past is still our future…couldn't this still be him?" David looked desperate now.  
The X-men were climbing on a jet—to depart—to Africa, for Storm's wedding. Laura remembered Storm—she'd nearly destroyed the world, under the influence of her friend,  
Rachel Summers. She missed Rachel. They'd had a close friendship.

"I hate time travel." Logan growled.

"If this _were_ Nimrod, it would have already attacked us," Scott said. "He was destroyed, David. You're not in any danger."

"You're joking, right?" Nori asked.

"Mister Summers…" David rubbed his neck.

"David, I know what a nightmare the last few weeks have been. I know how you must be feeling."

"With all due respect, sir…"

"The ONE sentinels are here, Apocalypse is gone."

"But—"

"…And Nimrod was _destroyed._" Scott folded his arms.

"Just like _Stryker_ was reformed?" David asked reproachfully.

Logan snorted. "Ouch."

"…" Scott took a breath. "Cable and X-force dealt with a present day iteration of Nimrod not too long ago. I'll have _him_ investigate." He stepped onto the ramp of the  
Blackbird. "We'll talk about this more when we get back, David. I promise."

"Great." Nori looked tense.

"Where the hell is Nezhno going?" Santo asked. Julian folded his arms, watching the teachers board the jet.

"That could have gone better," David said as the jet took off.

"I can't believe they're leaving, after everything that's happened, they're just leaving us all alone," Cessily said, her face grim and set.

"I can't freaking believe that freaking Nezhno gets to go to Storm's wedding and we freaking don't!" Santo said. "He's Wakandan, Santo. Storm's marrying the Black Panther."

"And?"

"He's the king of Wakanda." Cessily looked tired.

"So?" Santo grinned.

"Never mind, Santo."

The group slowly turned back to the round portal door into the jet hangar. "Don't sweat it, Alleyne. I didn't do any better with Miss Frost." He tilted his head.  
"I guess we just get to wait for this robot to come kill us. Fun." He'd also just noticed that Laura had a very, very nice behind, and he was now thinking of a  
different kind of fun. Then he remembered what he'd seen that butt _do_—scissor kick in the air that sent four body parts flying—and he wasn't sure it was a  
good thing at all.

Santo made a guitar-strumming motion at him, and he scowled.

**…  
**

"So, I just handed over my 300 dollar gaming unit to Santo," Julian said from the doorway, his arms folded across the skull print on the chest of his t-shirt.

"I think I should get something out of this, don't you?"

Laura looked up from where she sat, brushing her hair. "Julian?" She wasn't sure what he meant.

"Never mind," he said, looking away. His cheeks were faintly red. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Possibly," Laura put down her brush. "If Nimrod is found, yes. If not, I have business to attend to." She was going to leave—as soon as Nimrod was located  
and defeated. Julian was getting too close; she had a feeling he would overcome his fear of her…do something…she wasn't sure what, but he was not safe  
with her. She watched him sadly at the door, and he mirrored her expression.

"Laura—"

"Good night, Julian." Her tone was firm. He was to go. Julian slammed the door shut behind him, now in a foul mood. There was a beating pulse in his head.  
A thought forming, very slowly. He didn't understand it yet.

**…  
**

"I'm going to punch Mr. Summers in the face," David said, staring at the small hologram of Nimrod and Forge, illuminating Nori's bedroom in a wave of blue light.

"Get in line." Nori said.

"This must be…like a snapshot. Nimrod is with Forge right now." David looked very serious.

"But why? Why go after Forge, of all people?" Cessily asked.

Everyone was in their sleepwear, including Laura. She avoided Julian, stretched out on the bed in shorts and the t-shirt from earlier. She didn't want to add fuel to  
his fire, if there was one.

"If this thing was in New York with Stryker, there's a ton more mutants _here_ to kill. Why go there?" Cessily asked.

Laura tilted her head. "Look at the hologram. Nimrod is _damaged._ Its goal is most likely simple survival. According to his file, Forge could repair Nimrod."

"We have to tell someone immediately. We cannot keep this information to ourselves." Sooraya.

"You're right, Sooraya…I'll try and contact the X-men."

Julian sneered. "The same X-men who assured you Nimrod was destroyed? The same ones who left us here for Stryker to pick off one by one?" He frowned.

"This Forge guy is screwed."

"No." Nori looked down, electricity dancing around her fingers. "This has to end. _We_ have to end it. Forty-seven of us are _dead_. Jay is dead. Max is dead. Laurie is  
dead. Brian is dead. Josh went insane, and who knows where Kevin is." She swallowed. "The X-men can't save us. The ONE and their sentinels are a sick joke.  
They'll probably be coming after us next. And the Avengers don't care."

She paused for breath. "It's up to us. The X-men are half a world away. We can't wait for them. Forge could still be alive, and if he's not, Nimrod is coming here next.  
This thing was involved with Stryker. It helped him kill our friends."

Nori scowled. "So we'll save Forge. And _we'll_ take this thing down. We leave in fifteen minutes, understand?"

…

Laura turned around at her door opening. She was in the middle of pulling on her tank top. "Julian…" she said, her eyes wide. He closed the door behind himself, then  
reached up and flipped off the lights.

"Everything's scarier in the dark," he said. "We have ten minutes. Now. Just in case we die." He shifted.

"Now, what?"

"I can show you a lot better than I can say it," he said softly, taking her hand.

"Just in case we die," Laura repeated slowly.

**…**

Julian, zipping up his pants, opened the door _just_ as Santo walked by. His friend grinned and held up his hand.

"Don't leave me hanging, dude!" the bigger mutant said. "Guitar Hero's gonna rock. Wanna come to my room Sunday?"

"Shut up, Santo," Julian growled, still pink-cheeked. "You suck. I hate you. You're always in the wrong place at the wrong time!"

"Say, you got any _more_ games that would work on the new PS3 I just got? Since I did, you know, just catch you in Laura's room, zipping up, and all."

"This isn't—" Julian closed his eyes as Laura emerged, blinking.

"Yeah, I've got Grand Theft Auto," he said, holding his hands up. "For the love of god, Santo, not _one word_."

"What're friends _for?_" Santo grinned.

"Blackmail, obviously." Julian rubbed his neck and followed Santo down the hall, leaving Laura—again—to wonder what had just happened.

She didn't even know the proper word for it. Copulation seemed insufficient, although it had been very hurried. She compared it with her past experiences.

She hadn't known the words for _those,_ either.


	8. 1: Year Zero 8:10 protocol error

**A/N: **Uncanny 503 huh? I must have it...I'm almost 100 percent positive its Rachel Summers or related to phoenix someway...I mean...she's with Cable  
...she has red hair...her birth was an explosion of fire...Cyclops looks at her and suddenly gives way...it all just clicked for me. Anyhoo, it made a great  
story to write, and as a bonus I got to ensnare my favorite characters in it! Yay! WIN

* * *

**Volume: 0 Arc: "Year Zero" Issue: 1/1)**

 **Chapter 8: protocol error **

* * *

"The basketball court is right over us…the Blackbird's exit through there…" Julian was looking at the ceiling of the X-wing hanger.

"So I know Mister Mega-Brain 3000 is cooking up something, but the sentinels are standing _right there_. If we take the freaking jet, aren't  
they gonna notice?" Santo looked grim.

"Yep. And then they'll probably shoot us down." Julian looked to the side.

"That's why we're not going out that way." Nori was walking towards where he and Santo and Laura stood, watching the ceiling. David was  
behind her, holding a computer pad. "Before the mansion was destroyed, for, I think, the fourth time, there used to be a tunnel that the  
Blackbird used—it led to the Cliffside about a mile and a half from here." He pointed at it on the map. "We're taking that."

"How do you even deserve such a hot girlfriend, you big nerd?" Nori asked, grinning. Santo mimed vomit.

"It's sealed, I take it?" Julian looked at the locked doors, which had a huge X padlock over them.

"And caved in. Nothing you can't handle." David sounded certain.

"When this is over, we're finding a teleporter." Julian touched his forehead. The bump had disappeared, from the injury of hitting it on the floor  
much earlier, but it was still tender.

**…**

"What the hell are you wearing?" Santo asked, grinning as David entered the jet. "Did you join S.W.A.T. or something after you lost your powers?"

"You ever hear of a student named Doug Ramsey?" David asked shortly.

"No." Santo grunted.

"That's why I'm wearing this." David sat down at the controls, beside Laura.

"I brought guns," she said, by way of conversation.

"Wonderful." David said.

**…**

"DAMN IT, KELLER! I'd like to actually GET to Dallas before we DIE!" Nori.

"What the HELL is that?!" Santo.

"It's a hologram. It covers the exit." David.

"Julian, watch—" Cessily.

"WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP?!" Julian, holding his head in hands and trying desperately to coat every inch of the X-wing in energy—without making the  
fuel explode. The task—and the team—were giving him a headache. _KRRRRRACK! _They suddenly burst free of the rock, and swept over open water.

"Piece of cake," Julian leaned on his arm rest and glanced at Laura. She'd been silent; quite impressive, considering she was in the front.

"Are they following?" Nori asked, leaning forwards.

"Miss Frost is going to kill us. Even Cyclops is going to kill us for this," Cessily said.

"Are they FOLLOWING?!" Nori demanded.

Laura turned in her seat. "No. No reaction from the Sentinels."

"Nobody's ever going to believe that worked," David said. "Oh, god, what are we doing?"

"We totally escaped. Those Sentinel Pilots are _so_ fired. I mean seriously, they suck on a weekly basis.

They sat in silence for the rest of the trip.

**…**

Something was beeping, loudly.

"David? Is everything okay?" Nori asked nervously.

"Everything is fine, Nori," David responded.

"No, it is not." Laura. She arched her eyebrow.

"Yes, it _is_." David insisted.

"I've been watching you. You do not know how to fly this plane."

"Well, I know how to use the autopilot," David said, a little uncertain now.

"Are you sure we're okay? What's with the beeping?!"

"That is not flying," Laura said crisply. She didn't add that she _knew_ how to fly this plane—quite well—because they had yelled at her earlier  
for offering information. Stupid children.

"I know, I know," David said. "Switching the verbal interface on."

_Massive energy buildup detected, location Eagle Plaza. Contact imminent, take evasive maneuvers. _A robotic voice flooded Laura's ears, and she  
shook her head, like an irritated kitten.

"Oh, no—" David said.

_WHAM! _An enormous cloud of pink energy struck the X-wing on its left propeller, completely severing the wing. "OOF!" Santo cried, hitting the roof.

"DAVID!" Nori shouted.

_Altitude warning: 10,100 feet. _

"Come on…pull up…" David yanked on the controls.

_8,400 feet. Dropping. _

"Where's the oxygen masks?!" Santo shouted.

"Nori…" Cessily looked afraid. So did Nori. "KELLER!" She shouted.

"This is going to hurt," Julian said, also wincing in fear.

_5,300 feet. Dropping._

Laura looked over at David. "COME ON!" he shouted.

_3,200 feet. Dropping. _

Laura struggled with apprehension. Wouldn't it be better to be yelled at than see everyone die? "Fine." She reached over to the panel and pushed three buttons.

"Now try."

"LAURA—" Julian was furious. "Why the fuck didn't you—"

They hit the ground with a tremendous crash. Laura's head snapped forwards to smash on the panel, but at the last moment a green field swept between it and  
her face and scooped her backwards.

When everything had stopped moving, Julian popped the top off the X-wing and they clambered out, coughing. "Nice flying there, Alleyne," he said.

"And don't give us that 'any landing you can walk away from' crap, because that landing _sucked_." Santo glared at the shorter boy.

"And you—" Julian grabbed Laura's wrist. "Why didn't you _say_ you knew how to fly that thing?! We almost died because of you!"

"I did not cause the plane to crash," Laura said, glaring at him. "I was not flying the plane. David was. I offered help before, and it was rejected. I intervened soon  
enough to prevent you from dying."

Julian shut his mouth with a snap. She _was_ right—she'd tried to speak up earlier, and everyone had told her to be quiet, including himself.

David looked up. "I guess it knows we're here."

"It doesn't matter," Nori said. "We're going in."

**…**

_CRASH!_

"Santo, you idiot!" Nori.

"What?!" Santo looked offended.

"There was a chance Nimrod thought we were dead! We were _sneaking in!_"

"Whoops, my bad," Santo grimaced.

"Wow, it's dark in here," Cessily said, looking around.

"That blast must have knocked the power out, or the jet crashing outside." David said, a perfectly logical response, in Laura's opinion. She liked David.  
He was easier to understand than the others.

"When I said dark, David, I really meant creepy," Cessily corrected.

"Oh," David said.

"Something is not right," Sooraya said.

"Do you guys feel that? It's like the building is vibrating," David said.

"Wait…I think I heard something…" Cessily said.

"I hear them too. I count nine…no, eleven. They're above us, moving this way." Laura tilted her head, listening.

"Wait, eleven _what?_ I though there was only—"

"SANTO!" Nori screeched. An enormous pink-robot-thing slammed Santo in the face with its 'fist'.

"What the—I can't see anything in here!" David shouted.

"Everybody get ready!" Nori channeled electricity above her head.

"Flame on," Julian grinned, suddenly illuminated with green.

"Aw, man…the…fantastic four…will so sue you for that…" Santo said, rolling to his knees. "Fuck Nimrod…I'm more afraid of lawsuits!"

…

"I swear to god, Keller, if you leave David for one second I will—" Nori grabbed her head and shouted as the robot she was fighting exploded over her head.

_Subjects found: New X-men. Objective in progress. _

"That's a big one," Santo said. Laura popped her claws and watched as the enormous blue machine stomped towards them.

"Stay here, Julian," Nori commanded.

"Come on, I can—"

"Don't you move, Keller! YOU STAY WITH HIM, DO YOU HEAR ME?!" Nori dashed off.

"Julian…" David began.

"Leave it alone, David," Julian said, quite annoyed. He folded his arms. He'd come all this way—his—uh, whatever she was in there doing god-knows-what—and _  
he_ got to stay and babysit the human.

"No, something isn't right. Did…did that thing attack Nori?" David sounded worried.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Julian snapped. He watched Laura bounce over its head, her claws raking down its side.

_Protocol error: protect mutants._

"Wait…what did it say? It's not fighting us…it said 'protect'. Nori…Nori, STOP!"

Cessily jammed a claw-shaped arm into the robot's casing.

"Cessily, get OUT of there!" David shouted. "Cess?!" Julian.

"No…NO!" A new man. Forge.

"Stop! Stop attacking it! Nori, get everyone away from that machine!" He looked desperate with fear.

"AHHH!" Cessily began screaming, the ends of her arms fusing into the robot. "AHHHHH!"

"Cess!" Santo ran towards her, terrified, and tried to swat her away; she was stuck. "CESSILY! NO!" Julian watched in horror, as did everyone else. Just standing there  
doing nothing. Laura flipped over its head and sliced right through the globs of metal connecting Cessily to the electrical current. "Ugh!" For a moment, the electricity  
vibrated up her own claws; it felt awful. She landed near Cessily and rolled to a stop.

_Rebooting. Protocol error. Error. Foreign programming detected. Error. Foreign substance corrupting physical system. Error. Foreign programming Error. Rebooting._

Laura stood, watching the spectacle of the robot sparkling.

"Cess, are you—" Nori crouched beside Cessily.

"I'm…I'm okay." Cessily reformed her hands shakily.

"Foreign programming? I don't—" David said.

"You couldn't have known…Nimrod came to me for repairs, but I transferred his A.I. into another body, an anti-sentinel unit I created for the institute. My programming  
overwrote Nimrod's, but this…this is bad."

_Reconfiguring hardware to software specifications. Rest LCD matrix. Commencing._

_This unit is now online. Mutants detected. Target: Forge. Target: New X-men. _

_Solution in progress. _

_Terminating commences in 3…2…1…_

"What the hell is going on?" Nori asked. The explosion answered her question.


	9. 1: Year Zero 9:10 girl disappearing

**A/N: **This is my favorite chapter in Year Zero. It is inspired by 'The marionette' by Irbis (here on ), as well two Tori Amos songs--  
Winter, and Girl disappearing. I was trying to think what was going through Laura's head in this scene...then I knew. 8c) Hope you like!

* * *

**Volume: 0 Arc: "Year Zero" Issue: 1/1)**

 **Chapter 9: girl disappearing **  


* * *

"Is everyone okay?" Nori asked, lighting up the crevice with a fist.

"My nose itches…and…and this building is _really_ heavy," Santo said. He was straining to hold an enormous slab of rock up from crushing them.

"The machine is cutting a path to our position," Laura said. She crouched beside Julian and lifted his chin with her hand.

"Julian saved us…is he okay?" Cessily.

"He needs medical attention," Sooraya said.

"No, he does not. His heart rate is increasing. He will wake up soon," Laura said.

"Please…just go…run…" Forge said. "And _he_ has a concussion," she added.

"Nimrod will kill you, like it killed Ororo. It'll go to the institute…infect the ONE sentinels…like it did mine…it will kill everyone. The students, the 198,  
the X-men…every last mutant eradicated."

"Then we have to _destroy_ it," Nori said, alarmed.

"We can't. I mean, the X-men couldn't…there's no way we can…there's just no way." David.

"Then we warn the X-men and buy them as much time as we can. Hopefully they can evacuate the institute before…before it's too late."

"We're not going to make it, are we?" Cessily asked grimly.

"The Sentinel is close," Laura said, looking up.

"Wake him up, Laura!" Nori said.

"Everyone just relax…I'm okay…I…L-Laura…" he reached up and put his hand on her shoulder. "Hey—what's that noise?"

The ceiling erupted. Laura pushed Julian into the floor, making a small sound as a heavy rock struck her in the back. Pop pop _crackle_ pop, her spine  
realigned itself and she gasped for air, her eyes wide.

"Kinda close to your O face," Julian mumbled. She raised her eyebrow at him.

_Targets reacquired. Termination in progress. _Nimrod was back, and it looked angry, ready to kill.

"GET OUT OF HERE, DAVID! GO! **NOW!**" Nori shouted, filling the chamber with electricity. Julian grimaced and deflected the electricity before it could hit them.

_Target: Surge. Electrical attack. Adapting. Counter-measures in place._

"Can't…can't fight it…run…" Forge staggered. "Come on, come on…" David said.

_Proximity alert: multiple targets approaching. Solution in progress._

Something happened to the ground around them. An enormous crater formed. Laura was thrown to the side; she rolled to her knees. "NO!" she said,  
seeing the big hand stretched out towards him. Just what she'd known was coming. She knew she wouldn't jump in time—Santo was there.

"NOT AGAIN!" He shoved Julian out of the way and took the hit.

Pebbles rained down.

"FUCKING MACHINE!" Julian shouted. "Keep it together, Hellion! We have to hold out!" Nori. "THEN BACK ME UP!" he shouted.

The robot coolly deflected his attack. He ripped the ground from beneath it.

_Telekinetic event in progress. Compensating._

"Nori! We've got to go!" David said desperately.

"Have to find a way…my responsibility…my burden…or everyone's going to die…" Nori said.

"NO. Screw slowing this thing down. We're going to send this robot to hell." She glared at it. "There's no way to stop it," Forge pointed out.

"There has to be a way, Forge. There's always a way."

"This is suicide—let the X-men—"

"No. There's no time. _We_ have to stop it," Nori said.

Forge staggered to his feet.

"You shouldn't walk with a concussion," Laura said. "It is very bad for you."

"Forge…you said that you transferred Nimrod's programming into something _you_ created…could it now have some weakness the _original_  
Nimrod didn't?" David asked, leaning forward.

"No. Nimrod updated the anti-sentinel with its own hardware. It essentially recreated itself. It's indestructible…self-repairing…unstoppable.  
We have to—wait a minute. Not _everything _inside the robot is Nimrod."

He paused. "The time device."

"The what?" Nori asked.

"If we overload the time device inside Nimrod, it would detonate, taking him down from the inside out," Forge said. Nori's eyes glowed. "I can do that."

"UHN!" Julian was knocked backwards from the air, and he landed on the ground a bit away. Laura turned her back on him. She had to concentrate.

"No! It's too dangerous." David said.

"I—" Nori.

"Don't you understand?! You'd have to get through Nimrod's armor, expose the device, and _keep _it exposed while you attack."

"David, listen—"

"No! He'll kill you, Nori."

"JULIAN!" Sooraya yelled. He'd just been hit again. Laura twitched. "David's plan is sound. I will open up the sentinel."

"No…that's not what I meant…" David said.

"I can keep it open, as long as you need. This thing killed Santo. I'll do whatever it takes." Cessily was furious. Laura smelled hot mercury.

"Guys…don't do this…" David said.

"All the killing…all the death…we have to stop it, David," Nori said, pulling off her gloves. "It had to end here, tonight. No matter what it takes."

Julian was being targeted again. He could barely hold his shield up. "Laura! NOW!" Nori yelled. She hardly needed to be told; her claws were out,  
and she was in the air. The robot was saying something about losing contact—she didn't pay attention. Over its head, down its front, dragging  
her claws down its metal flesh. She turned—and received perhaps the strongest of all the attacks that evening. She curled up in a ball and  
closed her lipless teeth over her tongue, waiting to heal.

The others were fighting. Good. Cessily had it torn open, she was screaming something. Laura wasn't really paying attention to words anymore;  
she was floating between here and somewhere else. Why wasn't she healing? Her eyes wouldn't close…she tried to frown. _That_ hurt.

Nori was trying to overload the robot—and succeeding, but she was stuck. She yelled something, now it wasn't that Laura wasn't paying attention,  
it was that she heard static. Oh, no. Would they be angry? Would Kimura come? A beating followed a failure to absorb information the first time.  
Usually a broken neck, a torn out body part. It varied. She'd be punished, for sure, for not healing.

She stopped watching the scenes before her. She was back in her cell, and her mother was there, reading Pinocchio to her, and holding her small hand.

"And you will, if you deserve it," Sarah said, her voice comforting and soft. It was funny, how she made up voices for the characters. Laura liked  
this woman, she loved her. "Really?!" Pinocchio exclaimed. "Tell me, what can I do to deserve it?"

It was about a puppet, a marionette who wanted to be real. Laura wanted to be real, too. She was excited—the woman said she could be real if she was good.

Was this a kind of training, too?

"Laura?" Scuffling. Her mother smiled at her.

"_Is Kimura coming?"_ Laura asked. "No…no, sweetheart, no Kimura,"Sarah said soothingly. "No more Kimura."

Yelling. "…her to the institute! We have to get her to Josh!"

"Julian…she's not…she's going…"

"WE HAVE TO HELP—"

Laura's favorite part was coming, so she ignored the noises. _"The fish," _she said, very seriously. Her mother smiled.

"…her there." Motion. Laura saw, in the reflection of the tiles, a greenish glow.

Il Terribile pescecane. The terrible dogfish.

"…do you hear me? You're not leaving me too! STAY WITH ME, LAURA!" It didn't belong in her safe cell, it was too loud and scared and talking  
to her. And it was male, but she wasn't afraid of it, which was odd because she feared and hated _all_ the males in her cell.

She tried to say something but a bad noise came out. She wanted to ask if he was about to make her real.

"MISS FROST?! Please, help me! Laura's dying! I can't fly fast enough…"

"_Mother?"_ she asked the woman in the cell, but she kept reading.

"DON'T TELL ME THAT! Please, I'm BEGGING YOU!"

"' My _dear_ father, we are saved!' cried the marionette. 'All we have to do now is get to the shore.'" The terrible dogfish. She had always been  
thrilled about this part. Her mother would pause to show her the illustration, smiling slightly at Laura's wonder. How could a _fish_ be so big?  
There were whales, but—

"Miss Frost, PLEASE! I don't want to bury anymore of my friends!"

—the part where Pinocchio was turned into an ass terrified her. She was always afraid of that part; an odd contrast. She'd come back to her  
cell, after twenty-two minutes of bloodbath and human brains sprayed in her face, and be afraid of a fictional donkey. It was too terrible for  
her to see. Her mother always squeezed her hand for this part, reassuringly. "You have to have the bad parts to have the good parts," she  
told her. "They make them all the better."

Ah. Her answer.

"When are you going to make up your mind? When are you going to love you as much as I do, Laura?"

Someone screamed in her ear, in real pain. "Help them," her mother said gently, closing the book. "Laura…you need to wake up. You need to  
believe in yourself. You're not ready to read this yet." The book was very white, in her very white cell.

Her nose was pressed against a neck. It hurt, it was all raw, but it was real. "Stay with me…stay with me…" it was like a mantra. They were  
going so fast…she struggled to focus, she couldn't move…dried tendons...

_BLAM._ It sounded very fuzzy in her ear. She was being set on her feet…she felt the walls tiling over again. She was so close to her mother…

"GET UP!" More shouting. "She's dying, Foley! You have to save her! COME ON! HEAL HER, DAMMIT!" Movement. "I know you killed Stryker…murderer…  
healer…just because…save Laurie…save her…"

"…can't…"

"SAVE HER!" Julian flung Elixir at Laura's husk. He'd never been so close to losing control—not even when he saw Santo atomized. Scratch that,  
he had lost control, completely. He…if she…he'd pull the school down around his ears…on Foley…he wasn't thinking in complete sentences anymore.  
He sucked in a breath as his friend's fingers touched Laura's face. There was a spark of golden light, like a chemical reaction; the black seemed to  
evaporate from Foley—and Laura's skin zipped up, clean and fresh.

He swayed, watching to make sure she woke up. He was about to pass out, he felt it coming, but damn—if he had to jumpstart her brain or  
something and he was out cold—

Laura opened her eyes.

"Are…are you okay?" he asked, his voice way too high. He was smiling—he felt like he'd just won the entire Olympics with his finger. Or like he'd  
just gotten ice cream after being at the dentist. Or something like that.

She sat up and smiled at him, a big, genuine smile. "Hi." She said, looking just at him. Oh, wow. He felt so special. "Hi." Foley said, smiling back at  
her. "I-I knew you could save her…I knew…" he started passing out. Dammit. "Y-you were worth my…m-my…P...S…3…"

Night night Julian.

"DON'T YOU FREAKING MOVE!" People were running into the room with guns.

"Okay," Laura said.


	10. 1: Year Zero 10:10 verdict

**A/N: **The final chapter of Volume 0: Year Zero! I'm almost sad. For the newbies, go read Volume 1 after this...then Volume 2. I'm sure I'll start some other project now  
that Year Zero is completely updated (although I've had it finished for a few weeks now). Perhaps the Laura Kinney diaries? I started that but didn't finish it...I was  
bustin' my ass writing three fanfics at once (Year Zero, Volume 2 _and_ Cowpie). And yeah, doing 4 courses at school..._and_ learning to play piano...can you tell I don't  
watch TV or anything? XcD never been a sucker for sitting around anyway. This one's a short chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

**Volume: 0 Arc: "Year Zero" Issue: 1/1)**

 **Chapter 10: verdict **

Laura crouched on the edge of the chair, watching Julian sleep. Thirty four hours had passed since he'd flown from Texas to New York  
at mach speed to save her life. She was still fascinated that he could sleep for such a long time. She'd found it easy to get into his  
room—she'd been prepared to use a claw to credit-card it, but she hadn't had to; it was unlocked.

He was snoring quite loudly. Laura had observed this; for the two or so weeks she'd known him, he snored, loudest on the nights after  
using his powers. Her supersensitive hearing picked it up through the locked doors and walls.

Her ears were also picking up something else right now.

"…Sofia…" he moaned.

She arched her eyebrow. Good. She'd been mistaken, then; she'd been worried that his demonstration was _more_ than just concern  
over a teammate. More than ever, Nimrod had convinced her—it wasn't safe to love. She had her memories of her mother, that was  
all she needed for a lifetime.

_No more_, she promised herself, gracefully stepping off the chair and standing by his pillow.

"Hmm?" Julian opened his eye and briefly looked at the chair that she had just vacated.

Then it slid shut again, and he continued to snore. Laura bit her lip, then leaned down and kissed him, very lightly. "Thank you," she  
mouthed, then turned and left his room. Her blood itched; she knew what she was going to be doing.

Making sure she was still real.

**…  
**

Julian played with his food in the cafeteria. He was still drained—he'd never used so much energy. His dreams had been fitful, full of death—  
and Sofia leaving—and the ten-or-so minutes he'd had with Laura, before Nimrod. Amazing how much he'd memorized, even though they  
hadn't done much.

It had been fifteen and a half hours since he'd finally woken up…and he'd thought about nothing but Laura since that moment, and he'd  
checked up on her several times. He'd eaten quite a bit—five meals—and he was still hungry. At first, he thought it was just the amount  
of energy he'd used in the fight and the flying—and the panic—but when he sat, after a plate of potatoes, turkey, and peas, and still  
didn't feel satisfied, he started to understand it a bit better. That big idea—the one throbbing in his head—the thing he'd thought was  
just a headache—Laura. And him.

Not Sofia? He was confused at the idea. He'd just been in love with her last week. Yet here he was…two weeks with thoughts all over the  
place…and then a solid sixteen hours spent thinking about her and her smile…

He pushed his empty plate away, threw down his napkin, and stomped up the stairs—pausing briefly to brush his teeth. He didn't find turkey  
all that romantic. As he passed Santo's room, her could hear he was playing Guitar Hero (and singing along, completely out of tune), and  
grinned. He was very glad that Santo was still around to blackmail him.

Laura's door.

_What's the worst that could happen?_ he thought.

He took a deep breath and knocked.


End file.
